Finding Center
by NinjaKitten
Summary: Doing what's best for yourself isn't always easy. Lex/Chloe Chapters will be rated individually. Please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, Smallville, the WB, the great state of Kansas, etc. I also am not making any money off this or any story…  
  
This chapter is rated "G." Come on in, the water's fine!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chloe Sullivan was trying very hard not to think…to let her mind float away from all her problems and concerns… It was proving a bigger challenge than she had thought. Her mind was constantly intruding, suddenly remembering long-put-off tasks and trivial events from childhood. She had a buzzing, inquisitive nature, and it did not easily quiet itself, even at her request. She took a few deep breaths, and tried to center herself once again…floating…wandering…letting everything go…like her clothes…in front of Clark….No, wait! Chloe sighed, this was the most difficult part of class.  
  
It had been her mother's idea to take yoga; she was always trying to stay one step ahead of the aging process. She had also managed to convince Chloe's father, Gabe, that a few hours a week of mother-daughter time wasn't really too much to ask. Despite her initial wariness and a few grumblings about getting up early on a Sunday, Chloe was beginning to enjoy herself. After spending the whole week with Clark, Pete, and her father, she welcomed a little female company. She had come to look forward to their class, and was already noticing a change in her body and outlook. Her mind always felt clearer afterward, and in the past few months, she had written some of her best editorials. Even Principal Kwan had noticed the change. He let Chloe print a timeline of strange, documented, events in the town since the meteor shower. Highly abridged, of course.  
  
As class ended, her mother, Meredith, suggested that they get some coffee before she drove her back to Smallville. Chloe agreed, always jumping at the chance for caffeine. They changed, and drove out to a small place called Columbia. Chloe ordered a tall mocha with an extra shot of espresso, while her mother settled for a regular coffee, black. Meri started the obligatory "So, how's school?" conversation and Chloe assured her that everything was fine. As usual, all she wanted to talk about was her paper, the funny things that Clark and Pete had done, and the strange happenings of the town. Meri could tell that she had a crush on the Kent boy, but Chloe assured her that he had eyes only for Lana Lang.  
  
  
  
"She's beautiful, and popular, and kind. He's adorable, and thoughtful, and sweet. Neither of them knew their real parents, and they have that soft-spoken, rosy-cheeked thing going on. He saves people's lives, and I'm sure she makes a wonderful banana-nut loaf or something….they're perfect." Chloe sighed.  
  
"But she has a boyfriend, right?"  
  
  
  
"Right. Mr. Quarterback. His name is Whitney!"  
  
"Good Lord, what kind of soul-less freak names their son Whitney? Did they want him to get beat up in middle school?"  
  
  
  
"Maybe that's why he's in sports, to compensate. Anyway, he and Lana have the ideal teenage relationship. So I'm afraid that Clark is doomed to pine away for another couple of years to no avail…."  
  
  
  
"While remaining blind to what's right in front of him?"  
  
  
  
Chloe didn't answer, but suddenly found her paper napkin very interesting.  
  
  
  
"His loss." Meredith said, stirring her coffee.  
  
Chloe merely shrugged, and changed the subject to The Torch. She bemoaned the strict guidelines regarding content and the tedium of attending pep rally after pep rally. The paper was her heart and soul, she thought nothing of devoting hours after school to edit and re-work stories. She was talented, and she knew it. Someday, she was going to make sure everyone else knew it, too.  
  
Meredith was continually amazed how much her daughter resembled herself. The haircut was a different, but the spunk was the same. Chloe often resembled the stereotypical Italian "mama": gesticulating to emphasize every point, as her facial expressions whirling and changing to convey every emotion in her story. The big, easy smile and large, blue eyes of her youth looked back at her. There was so much passion behind those eyes…which could lead to trouble if not given an outlet. Meredith knew that from experience. She wished she'd been able to spend more time with Chloe when she was younger. But she had blown it. Her little girl, now practically a woman, and it had happened so fast…. 


	2. Backstory-Meredith

A/N – OK, I had to devote a chapter to Meredith's backstory. I promise, more shall come after the weekend with Chloe and Lex. * sigh * (  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. They have everything.  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
This Chapter is Rated: PG-13 for drug use and sexuality. Mind your head!  
  
  
  
When Gabe Sullivan met Meredith Logan, she was already, in her words: "a lost cause." She was born and raised in Metropolis to artistic, earthy parents (Jack and Nancy) who urged their daughter to be free and commune with nature. By the time she was 15 she was happily communing with any kind of nature that could be fermented. She was also following the kinds of "natural" instincts that could land the people she followed them with in jail. Meri had been caught sneaking out of the apartment on several occasions, and was finally sent to a private, Catholic school where she would have 24-hour supervision. Her parents were older, (Meredith was a not- quite-menopausal "accident") and simply did not have the energy to handle a rebellious teenager.  
  
When Meri was in her senior year of high school, her parents finally retired from their LutherCorp "day jobs" (Nancy-receptionist, Jack-office manager) and decided to spend the rest of the school year traveling the world. They paid one last visit to Meredith, who had seemingly reformed, and was passing all her classes with flying colors. She had a group of good friends in the art department, and it seemed like her brief flirtation with trouble was over.  
  
However, about five months into their journey, the boat her parents had chartered to take them down the coast of South America vanished. They disappeared from radar during a tropical storm and were never heard from again. The Coast Guard finally tracked down the passenger manifest, and forwarded it to the Metropolis police to inform the next of kin. By the time Meri found out, her parents had been dead for two months….  
  
The sisters arranged for her to have psychological counseling, but she ended up dropping out of school a month before graduation. Her parents' wills left her enough money to get her first apartment and put a down payment on a decent car. She had no other living relatives and fell out of contact with her friends from school. Meredith started to feel lonely, and found solace in the bottle, yet again. She was doing her laundry one day, when she ran into a girl she had known during her only year on public high school. The girl, Phaedra, lived two floors below her with her brother, Peter. Peter was going to be a bartender at a new club called Elemental. Phaedra was going to be a waitress in the VIP lounge, and asked Meredith if she wanted a job….  
  
Elemental was loud, and pulsing, and the worst possible influence on her. Sweat, noise, and the arrogance of wealth in far too little clothing surrounded her. She slept until the late afternoon in a haze of booze and pills. She spent her nights entertaining the Metropolis elite at their "private parties." Meredith wanted to forget herself, forget her parents and her problems, and just live. And if a rich gentleman wanted to "get to know her better" for an hour or two, well what was wrong with that?  
  
Phaedra eventually quit after an encounter with Lionel Luther that ended up in a $500 trip to the clinic. She came up to Meredith's apartment a few days later, in tears. Meri was far to messed up to make much sense of what her friend was saying, but she tried to console her. All she remembered was something about "…going to the papers…" The next day; they found Phaedra's body in an ally outside the club. The police said it was a drug deal gone wrong. Meredith hardly noticed. She was convinced she was smarter….  
  
One night, several months later, some LutherCorp employees from Smallville reserved the VIP lounge. They had saved up to throw one of their buddies a bachelor party. There were the obligatory strippers and naughty gifts, but soon some of the regulars were slithering in and turned it into a full- fledged orgy. Some of the Smallville workers were noticeably uncomfortable, but weren't sure how to sneak out gracefully. Meredith was partying with Luke, a new bartender. She was doing lines right off the bar and occasionally stroking him under it. He just laughed and kept serving drinks. Finally, Meri stumbled off in the direction of the ladies room, but had trouble negotiating the steps. She stumbled, and someone caught her arm. She looked up at an eager young man with dark hair and eyes.  
  
"Are you OK, ma'am?"  
  
"Sure, honey….just gotta…bathroom…" Meri felt herself starting to slip away.  
  
"Ma'am? MA'AM?! Aw, Jesus…"  
  
  
  
The next thing she remembered was waking up in a hospital room. The young man was sitting next to her bed, staring at her intently. It was almost as if he was willing her awake.  
  
  
  
"It's OK. You're OK, now. The doctor said you could go home today, if you woke up." The young man moved to crouch beside her bed.  
  
  
  
"Who are you?" Meri asked.  
  
  
  
"Gabe Sullivan. I was at the bachelor party the other night. I'm from Smallville."  
  
  
  
"Oh. Well, thank you Mr. Sullivan, for taking me here. I'm assuming you are the one who brought me here."  
  
  
  
"Uh, yes ma'am."  
  
  
  
"Meredith."  
  
  
  
"Meredith. You know, you haven't asked me why you're in the hospital."  
  
  
  
"If I had to ask that, I wouldn't be a very bright girl, now would I?"  
  
  
  
"Meredith," he said, his voice softening, "now, why would a beautiful lady like you need to do with all that stuff?"  
  
  
  
"God, you * are * from Smallville…." She said, with a cough. "You even think I'm beautiful"  
  
  
  
"You are, I wish you could see that."  
  
Of course, gentleman that he was, Gabe offered to drive Meredith home from hospital. He helped her up the stairs and offered to get her some coffee or groceries if she needed them. She declined with a grateful smile. There was something so trusting about him, and so honest. He left his cell number in case she "needed anything." She thanked him again for everything, and saw him to the door. It only took her half an hour to work up the courage to call him and ask him out to dinner.  
  
Gabe proved to be a sobering influence on Meri, literally and figuratively. Soon, he had convinced her to move out to Smallville and take on a receptionist position at the plant at which he worked. They never really discussed moving in together. It was just understood. By now, Meri was settling down. She had a good job, a good man, and she was clean and sober. On the two-year anniversary of their meeting, Gabe gave her a ring.  
  
The wedding was small, and a few months later Meri found out she was pregnant. The couple was ecstatic, and Meri looked forward to it as another new beginning for her. A way to set things right. Nine months later, Chloe Gabrielle Sullivan was brought into the world, and was the apple of her daddy's eye from day one. Meri quit her job to stay home and care for her little one. For several years they lived blissfully together. Gabe was a devoted husband and father, and Meri never felt lonely or unloved. When Chloe turned five, and entered kindergarten. Meri began to feel restless again. She didn't really need to be at home all the time anymore. So she began to look for work again. She found a position in Metropolis that sounded good: an event coordinator for LutherCorp's main office. Essentially a party-planner for the executives and their guests. She still had a few connections in that industry, and decided to go for it.  
  
Without telling Gabe, she interviewed for the job and was hired almost on the spot. Meredith was on cloud nine, but when she told Gabe, she didn't get the response she had hoped for. He was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. He didn't want her falling into old habits. Meri was hurt that he would think that, after so many years. She didn't feel she had to prove her trustworthiness to her husband of five years! But the months went by with nary a problem, and he was still upset about her job. Rather than face the questions in his eyes, Meri started to work later and later hours. She was now hardly ever home during the day. She was worried that Chloe was going to forget what her mommy looked like. She was eight years old now, and was interviewing her stuffed animals with her plastic hairbrush. Rather than watch cartoons, she would read books or the newspaper. Meri knew her daughter was smart, and hoped one day she could understand how a woman would rather spend her weekends in a small, cheap metropolis apartment, than with a man she suspected didn't love her anymore.  
  
Quietly, one day, Gabe asked her for a divorce. No screaming, no fighting, he just wasn't happy anymore. She had felt the same way for even longer than he had. Ever since her parents had died, and her Elemental days, it was hard for her to form meaningful connections with people. With a start, she realized that she just really didn't care one way or the other. With Gabe, without Gabe, her life remained the same. Meri knew that with her past drug problem, a judge might hesitate to give her custody of Chloe, so she didn't contest when Gabe filed for full custody. Meri moved back to Metropolis full-time, and continued her work. After a close call with Lionel Luther and bottle of vodka, she arranged a transfer to a secondary office, on the outskirts of the city. She felt safer there, and it would be easier for her to go to sneak away to Smallville to see her daughter.  
  
By now, her little girl was in high school. She still got regular grade reports and a phone calls. They all tried to be together on holidays and Chloe's birthday, but….  
  
…..but Meri felt guilty. She hardly knew this creature she had carried inside herself the better part of a year. If only there was some thing they could do together……. 


	3. The Beanery - Chloe

A/N: We are now back in the present…  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. I have no money. (With or without this story  )  
  
Spoilers: References to events in Nicodemus and Kinetic.  
  
This Chapter Rated: PG for naughty words and innuendo. Oh, horrors!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Meredith glanced at her watch and decided it was time to hit the road. They had stayed in town longer than she thought, so she gave Gabe a call on her cell to let him know they were on their way. Since taking an interest in Chloe's life again, Meredith's relationship with her ex-husband had gotten much better. At least they were on speaking terms, as opposed to screaming terms. On the three-hour drive back Chloe dozed off, despite the coffee. Meredith took the opportunity to listen to the music * she * wanted to listen to. The music that Chloe referred to as "oldies." As they approached the Smallville city limits, Meri woke her daughter, and asked her if she wanted to go home, or to the Beanery.  
  
"I guess I'll go home first. I have to grab my laptop, anyway. I'll take my own car, so you can get on your way."  
  
"Good idea. I had a lot of fun today, Chloe. I'll see you next week?"  
  
"Sure thing."  
  
They pulled up to the house, and Chloe grabbed her bag and jumped out of the car. Gabe came outside to greet the two of them, but Chloe flew past him into the house.  
  
  
  
"So, how was class?"  
  
  
  
"Good. My legs are killing me, but in a good way. How's the job?"  
  
  
  
"Oh, you know, same old, same old."  
  
  
  
"Same here. Anything exciting happen recently?"  
  
  
  
"You mean that Chloe * didn't * tell you about?"  
  
  
  
Meredith laughed at that. "I guess you have a point. Well, I'd better be moving along. I have errands to run in Metropolis. I'll give you a call during the week?"  
  
  
  
"Sure. You know where to find me."  
  
  
  
Meredith got back behind the wheel and started backing out of the driveway. Chloe came back outside, having cleaned up a little more and with her schoolbag in hand. She grinned sheepishly at her father. Meredith waved to her, and Chloe waved back. As Meredith started out on her return exodus to the city, Chloe turned her attentions back to her father.  
  
  
  
"Um…is it okay if I go to the coffee shop for awhile? I have an article and a term paper to finish for tomorrow."  
  
  
  
"Don't I ever get to see my daughter?" Gabe asked with a dramatic sigh.  
  
  
  
"You see me plenty. Please? It's for school. How would that look: the editor of the school paper failing English?" She flashed her father her most brilliant smile.  
  
  
  
"Oh, all right. But try to get home at a decent hour and have dinner with me. I feel like I haven't seen you in years."  
  
  
  
"Thanks, daddy. I will." Chloe got on tiptoe and placed a kiss on his cheek.  
  
  
  
"All right, be careful out on the road."  
  
  
  
Chloe threw her bag on the front seat of her car, and was on her way to the Beanery. When she got there, it was the late afternoon, and the place was fairly busy. She recognized a lot of people from school, but no one she really knew. Lana wasn't working, so of course, Clark was absent. Pete probably had a date or something, so Chloe settled down in a booth as its occupants left. She spread out her books and notes and started plugging away at her laptop…..  
  
  
  
  
  
Finally, she had finished her English paper. Now she could get to the work she was looking forward to. She pulled out her small, "interview" tape recorder and a pair of headphones. She put in the tape labeled "Luther, 3/17 (Part 2)" and started transcribing the interview…  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chloe: "Testing, testing…."  
  
{static}  
  
Chloe: "Alright, this is Chloe Sullivan interviewing Mr. Lex Luther at the offices of The Torch on March 17, 2002 at 5:30 p.m. Continuing interview in regards to the strange "flu/coma" that affected several Smallville citizens."  
  
Lex: "Do you have many more questions, Miss Sullivan?"  
  
  
  
Chloe: "Just one more, really. And more for myself than the article…what happened to Doctor Hamilton's lab?"  
  
  
  
Lex: "I'm sorry, whom?"  
  
  
  
Chloe: "The man you hired to research the meteors for you."  
  
  
  
Lex: "I'm afraid you must be mistaken, Miss Sullivan. I don't have anyone by that name on my staff, and I have no ongoing projects researching the meteors."  
  
  
  
Chloe: "Don't play games with me, honey, someone had to fund the kind of research I saw him doing out there. I know he didn't get a grant, I checked. The chance of him getting enough private donations from the good citizens of Smallville and Metropolis is slim to none. And that leaves you."  
  
  
  
Lex: "Or my father."  
  
  
  
Chloe: "No. Your father would only pour that much money into something if he knew for a fact he could get something out of it. You, on the other hand, might fund something in the name of scientific exploration. And to get something out of it."  
  
  
  
Lex: "Well, you seem to have this all worked out. Were you able to ascertain all that from your 'research'?"  
  
  
  
Chloe: "You may not believe this, but I actually spend more time listening to people that bombarding them with questions."  
  
  
  
Lex: "Ah. And whom did you listen to that revealed so much about my business practices?"  
  
  
  
Chloe: "You, of course. You can't suppress all your feelings. Inevitably, some leak through. You just have to be watching."  
  
  
  
Lex: "And when did watching me become a habit of yours, Miss Sullivan?"  
  
  
  
Chloe: "Come on, you're the only billionaire in town. What kind of reporter wouldn't be watching you?"  
  
  
  
Lex: "Hmm…well perhaps I should start keeping a closer eye on you, for my own well-being."  
  
  
  
Chloe: "I can see the headlines now: 'Peeping Lex: Luthor Son Caught Ogling Minors'"  
  
  
  
Lex: "All right, all right. Next topic."  
  
  
  
Chloe: "You're not going to answer my question. Are you?"  
  
  
  
Lex: "How's the arm?"  
  
{static}  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chloe pulled off her headphones, and sighed. Never could get a straight answer out of the man. At least he had seemed genuinely concerned when he asked how she was doing. She remembered how shaken up he had been when she'd gotten hurt. For awhile, she thought he was just trying to cover his ass, but Clark had told her that Lex had often asked him about her. She smiled to herself; it wasn't often that she enjoyed people talking about her.  
  
  
  
She stretched out her arms and neck and cracked her back. Her left arm was still, admittedly, a bit weak and sore, but the yoga was helping. She made sure to save her work, and e-mailed it to herself just to be safe. She was just about to start packing up her things when she heard a familiar voice. She looked up, and saw the back of a very pale, smooth head at the counter. Out of habit, her eyes made a quick scan of the rest of the form. Shoulder blades moving gracefully as he picked up his order and paid. He put a few dollars in the tip jar, and then he shifted his body weight to one hip, his pants clinging to the subtle curve of his right cheek as he turned…  
  
  
  
" * Stop it! * Lex Luther can not turn around and see me staring at his ass!" Chloe thought to herself.  
  
  
  
When he did turn, Chloe caught his eye, and he made his way over to her. A few patrons watched, but most were like herself: students absorbed in homework.  
  
  
  
"Miss Sullivan, do you mind if I join you?"  
  
  
  
"Not if you don't mind my mouth."  
  
  
  
"Maybe it's that mouth that makes me come." He looked her dead in the eye.  
  
  
  
Chloe tried not to react outwardly to his statement, and gestured for him to sit down.  
  
  
  
"You're in an unusually sassy mood. Has his lordship acquired some new tract of land, or perhaps he has vanquished his father in worthy combat?"  
  
  
  
"You know, not that many people would refer to a Luthor as "sassy."  
  
  
  
"Well, I feel special, then."  
  
  
  
"To answer your question…"  
  
  
  
"Do my ears deceive me?!" Chloe cut in, with a laugh.  
  
  
  
"I swear, dear lady, they do not. To answer your question, my mood has nothing to do with business. In fact, just the opposite, I am going to the opening of the new wing at the Metropolis Modern Art Museum on Wednesday. I've already spoken with Clark, Lana, Whitney, and Pete, and they're all going with me. I was wondering if you'd like to go as well. It would make a nice story, and your company would be appreciated."  
  
  
  
"Really? Absolutely, I'd love to! Thank you, Lex." She couldn't stop herself from grinning broadly at him. It was a struggle to keep her voice down, she was so excited.  
  
  
  
"No problem. It should be fun. There's a small reception before they open the wing, then we'd all get to see the new works."  
  
  
  
"Great! OK, I know it sounds corny, but what should I wear?"  
  
  
  
"Something classy. You can do classy, can't you, Miss Sullivan?" His eyes twinkled at her.  
  
  
  
"Mr. Luthor, I can do it all. But seriously, call me Chloe. 'Miss Sullivan' sounds like a schoolmarm from 'Little House on the Prairie.'"  
  
  
  
"There's the mouth I was talking about."  
  
  
  
"Oh, you like sarcastic, caffeine-deprived teenagers?"  
  
  
  
"No. I like witty, interesting women. And it's not for me to say what you're deprived of."  
  
  
  
"Right now, I'm deprived of gas money. How is everyone else getting there?"  
  
  
  
"I've arranged for a couple of cars to take all of us. One will come pick you up at your house at 4:30 on Wednesday. Will that be enough time for you?"  
  
  
  
"Plenty. Speaking of time, I've got to run. I promised dad we'd have 'family dinner' tonight."  
  
  
  
"Do you need a ride?"  
  
  
  
"I've got my wheels. But thank you, anyway."  
  
  
  
Chloe packed her laptop, recorder, and headphones back into her bag. She got out her keys, and stood. She was a bit surprised, though, when Lex helped her put on her coat. When she turned around, he was almost smiling at her.  
  
  
  
"Lex, thank you again for the invite. You know, you can be downright personable when you put your mind to it."  
  
  
  
"If you spread that around, I'll sue you for libel."  
  
  
  
"Wednesday night, then?"  
  
  
  
"I'll see you then. Goodnight, Chloe." He murmured as he settled back into the booth, and nursed his forgotten coffee.  
  
  
  
Chloe walked out to her car, and started out for home. She called her dad to let him know she was, indeed, coming home at a decent hour. She was feeling jittery and excited about the opening. It would make a terrific story for the paper, and would probably get Kwan off her back for at least another month. She started to think about Clark in a tux, but had to stop for the safety of other drivers. As she pulled into her driveway, Chloe was mentally going through her closet, trying to think of something "classy" to wear.  
  
"Hmm…I have 'spunky', 'funky', and 'sexy', but 'classy'….? This sounds like a job for a 'Sophisticated Older Woman-Friend!'" Chloe thought as she walked inside.  
  
  
  
It didn't even strike her as strange that she thought of Meredith as a "friend" rather than "mom." 


	4. Monday Morning - French Toast

Disclaimer: If I owned Smallville, would I be here?  
  
Spoilers: Moisture, air, and bacteria…. Oh, wait. None.  
  
This Chapter is Rated: PG  
  
  
  
  
  
After dinner, Chloe excused herself to go to bed. It had been a long day, and she had school tomorrow. She made sure her laptop and books were in her bag, undressed, and crawled into bed. She found that after her yoga class, she slept much better and remembered more of her dreams. As she drifted off to sleep, she checked off her mental list of things to do.  
  
"…wrote paper, check…..finished article, check….set alarm clock, check….sleepy-sleep, check…"  
  
  
  
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-THWACK!!!!  
  
"Good morning, sunshine!" Gabe called from the hall bathroom.  
  
"Mufferin-flaven."  
  
"You getting up?"  
  
"Grurf."  
  
"OK, then. I have to head out to work, I'll see you when I get home."  
  
"Ergh."  
  
Chloe sat up in her bed, rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, and blinked a few times. She heard her dad's car start and pull out of the drive. She looked at the clock and, disgusted, flung herself back down. She had been dreaming about the party at the museum. She and Clark had danced a few times, but it wasn't really what she would call a "romantic" dream. It was more of a "just friends" dream.  
  
"Can't I even get my way in my dreams?"  
  
She thought about what classes she had that day, and if she could afford to not be there. She could e-mail her English paper to her teacher, he was one of the few teachers that allowed it. She could fax her article to the Torch office, and either Clark or Pete could pick it up and scan it in. Those were really the only things she was worried about. She decided she deserved a day of freedom. Chloe dozed for about another hour. Not really dreaming, but letting her mind wander. She wondered if Clark would call her cell phone during a break between classes. To see if she was "OK." Or maybe he would just amble down the road and knock on her door. That would be more than "OK." Chuckling deep in her throat, Chloe thought about all the things she would do to Clark if he would shut up about Lana for two seconds.  
  
"OK, this is my day, and I will not be having any of this negative energy! Even from me!"  
  
She pulled on a pair of loose, drawstring pants and a tank top and sauntered into the bathroom. She splashed some water on her face and combed out the tangles in her hair. She appraised herself in the mirror. When she was well rested, her skin always looked better. Her cheeks had a slight rosy tint that matched her lips. Too bad Clark wouldn't get to see her like this. With a sigh, Chloe decided to have breakfast before she took a shower. She knew just the thing that would cheer her up again, and went into the kitchen to assemble the ingredients for Chloe's Orgasmic Yummy-Yum French Toast…  
  
  
  
For once, Clark Kent hadn't missed the bus. Lana had commented on it with a smile, and made him blush. She looked beautiful, with her hair half up and wearing flattering shades of blue. He wondered if she was wearing her red lace panties, the thought of which made him blush harder. They made small talk about the opening on Wednesday until they arrived at school. Lana said goodbye, and trotted into the building. He watched her hair flutter in her self-made breeze and sighed. Clark walked around the side of the school and scanned the student parking lot. He needed some female advice.  
  
"Hmm…no Chloe yet."  
  
His thoughts were distracted by Pete running up to him and clapping him on the back.  
  
"So, did you finish your English paper, my man?"  
  
"Last night, barely. Have you seen Chloe yet?"  
  
"No, but she might just be running late. Let's check the Torch office. I hope she's here, I want her to look over my paper before I turn it in." Pete said, waving a floppy disk.  
  
"Ever heard of 'spell-check'?"  
  
"Ever heard of having five bothers? I'm lucky to get half an hour on the computer."  
  
"What are you going to wear to the party on Wednesday?"  
  
"Oh, you know I'll find something stylin'. What about you?"  
  
"Lex said he'd help me out in that department."  
  
Pete frowned disapprovingly, so Clark cut in:  
  
"You know I would have come to you, but all your pants would be capris on me."  
  
Pete laughed, and yet another argument was averted. It was not so long ago that Pete was aiming a gun at Lex's head. Not that it had been his fault, but still…the desire was there.  
  
Clark and Pete walked into the school with a fresh onslaught of the student body. After a pit stop at their lockers to deposit their books, they walked to the Torch offices. Usually, Chloe, Pete, and Clark would spend their first-period study hall together, going over homework in mutual classes. When the boys arrived, they were greeted by a young lady, though not the one they expected.  
  
"Good morning, Lana." Pete said, throwing his bookbag on the nearest table. "Printing out your English paper, too?"  
  
"Yeah, you guys, too?"  
  
"That, and I was hoping for some last-minute help from our resident editing diva. She's not here, huh?"  
  
"Nope. I found this in the fax machine, though." Lana said, holding up Chloe's article. "There's a note asking one of us to please scan it into the system and put it in the layout. I guess that means she's not coming in today."  
  
"I hope she's not sick." Clark said, as he slid his bag off his shoulder.  
  
"I don't think Chloe's missed a day of school yet this year. Maybe she just took the day off." Pete offered before he started buttering up Lana to look at his paper.  
  
Clark picked up the article Chloe had faxed over and started scanning it into the system. He wrote her a quick e-mail, asking if she was OK, and telling her he would bring her assignments over to her after school. All too soon for Pete's liking, the bell rang, and it was off to Algebra….  
  
  
  
Chloe settled down in the living room with a huge stack of french toast, a glass or orange juice, and the remote control.  
  
"Ah, this is the life."  
  
She had just started watching a "Forever Knight" marathon on the SciFi channel, when there was a knock at the door. She turned down the volume on the TV, brushed the powdered sugar off her chest, and looked through the peephole. It was neither Clark, nor a truant officer, but Lex Luthor, standing there in a dark purple shirt, gray slacks, and dark glasses. She opened the door, blinking in the sudden sunlight.  
  
"Uh…good morning."  
  
"Good morning, Chloe."  
  
"My dad's at the plant…"  
  
"I know, I was going to drop off an official invitation to the museum event, and I saw your car in the drive. I took a chance that you were home."  
  
"Well, come on in. Pardon the mess, I've only been up about an hour."  
  
"French toast?" He asked, indicating the plate with his removed glasses.  
  
"My own special recipe. Want some?"  
  
"I don't want to steal your breakfast."  
  
"Not at all, have some. You want something to drink?"  
  
"Some orange juice would be fine, thank you."  
  
Chloe disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, and poured the juice. When she came back into the living room, Lex was seated on the couch and sampling a piece of her french toast. She sat down beside him, placing the juice on the coffee table.  
  
"You like?"  
  
"Very good." He managed to get out around his bite.  
  
"Thanks. Here's your juice."  
  
"Thank you." He took a deep swig of it, then reached into his pocket. He pulled out a silver and black envelope with thin, red lines forming an asymmetrical grid pattern.  
  
"Pretty. Is that the invitation?" Chloe asked, taking the proffered envelope.  
  
"Indeed it is. I thought you might like to have something concrete to show your dad, as well as something to remember it by."  
  
"Very considerate of you."  
  
"Just trying to anticipate your needs."  
  
"Good man. So, are the rest of the guys excited about going?"  
  
"Well, Lana was. And because Lana was, Clark was. The quarterback will be there to separate those two, and Pete probably only accepted because I mentioned your name."  
  
"Yeah, he isn't that fond of you."  
  
"But he is of you. Man has good taste. Even though he tried to kill me, I have to give him that."  
  
Chloe wasn't sure what to say to that, so she picked up her juice and swallowed some down.  
  
"Pete pretty much told me how he felt when he was under the effects of the Nicodemus. I mean, he's a great guy and all, but there's no spark, you know?"  
  
"I understand. Do you reserve your 'spark' for apple-cheeked farm boys?"  
  
"I'm starting to see the futility in reserving one's 'spark' for those who chase stars."  
  
"Very poetic."  
  
"Very true."  
  
"And would you like to be chased?"  
  
"No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"I'd be too easily caught. Better to just leave it alone." She said with a smile. "And I really don't need my personal life discussed in the locker rooms and sports fields of Smallville High."  
  
"Understandable. Not many teenage boys understand that 'discretion is the better part of valor'…or so they say. But you must need affection." Lex said softly.  
  
"That's what friends are for. And dads."  
  
"Not in my family." His bitter tone broke the mood, and they both sat back. Neither had realized that they had been leaning in towards each other.  
  
"True. Say, why aren't you at work, mister?" Chloe asked with mock severity.  
  
"Why aren't you at school?"  
  
"I can take a day off, I don't have the fertilizer needs of thousands resting on my shoulders."  
  
Lex laughed. "I'm just off for the morning. I have an investors' luncheon followed by several meetings in Metropolis."  
  
"And you decided to spend your few moments of freedom visiting me? What an honor!"  
  
"I didn't realize you'd be home. It was just a lucky surprise."  
  
"But you could have just left the invite in the mail box and been on your way." He started to protest, and she held up her hand. "No! You can not talk your way out of that one!"  
  
"Can't I enjoy your company?" He asked, with a sheepish smile.  
  
"No, it is forbidden!" She declared with a laugh.  
  
"You'd better be careful then…I like forbidden things."  
  
He looked in her eyes and smiled. She met his gaze, and felt the blood rising to her cheeks. He broke his gaze, and speared another forkful of french toast.  
  
"This really is very good. You'll have to give me the recipe sometime."  
  
"I'll do that." Chloe said. She had not stopped looking at him, and he met her gaze once more. Neither wanted to be the first to break the connection, but Chloe began to notice his lips. The light from the TV reflected off a smear of melted butter on his bottom lip. In it was suspended a dozen flecks of white. She stared at them; it would take the slightest swipe of his tongue to remove them. Or hers for that matter. Now * where * had that thought come from?  
  
He looked at his watch, then back up at her. "I'm sorry, I really must be running along." Chloe suddenly realized she had been holding her breath.  
  
"No, I understand. Thank you for dropping this off." She said, placing the invitation on the coffee table. She walked with him to the door as he pulled his sunglasses out of his pocket.  
  
"It was my pleasure."  
  
"Enjoy your lunch." She offered, politely.  
  
"Not much chance of that, but thank you anyway. I'll see you Wednesday night, Chloe."  
  
"See you then." She closed the door, turned, and leaned back on it. What was all that about? She waited until she had heard Lex's car speed down her road before she pushed off the door and picked up the invitation from its resting place. Turning it over and over in her hands, she decided not to open it yet. She started cleaning up her food and the kitchen. That accomplished, Chloe went into her room, tossed the envelope onto her bed, and grabbed a towel from her hamper. A nice, long, hot bath was always good for trying to sort out your thoughts…. 


	5. Monday Afternoon/Evening

Disclaimer: I do not own "Smallville," its characters, etc. Or the SciFi channel, or "SeaQuest DSV."  
  
Spoilers:  
  
This Chapter is Brought to you by the Letters: "P" and "G"  
  
  
  
When Chloe got out of her bath, it was noon. She dried off and went into her room to change. After pulling on jeans and a T-shirt, Chloe checked her e-mail and cell phone messages. Her English teacher had e-mailed her to let her know he had received her paper and he hoped she felt better soon. Chloe smiled when she heard Clark's message on her voicemail; he would have made such a good boy scout. There was also a message from her dad, saying that if she was just going to sit around at home all day, the least she could do was the laundry. Her hamper * was * nearly overflowing onto the floor.  
  
Once she got the first load (of several) started, Chloe's thoughts returned to the un-opened invitation on her bed. She retrieved the envelope and sat on the couch in the living room, where there was now a "SeaQuest DSV" marathon on TV  
  
"God bless the SciFi channel."  
  
Not wanting to mangle the beautiful paper, Chloe got a letter opener from her dad's room to open the envelope. The invitation was printed on fine, bone colored card stock. The same thin, red lines from the envelope cris- crossed the card, while the print was a shiny black.  
  
  
  
"The Metropolis Museum of Modern Art cordially invites you to the opening of the Luthor Wing on March 25, 2002. A small reception will commence at eight o'clock followed by the unveiling of the new wing at nine o'clock. Thank you for your continued patronage of the Museum."  
  
  
  
"The 'Luther Wing?' Interesting that he didn't mention that." Chloe thought to herself. She watched TV for awhile longer before she had to go switch her clothes into the dryer. As she pulled out her damp garments, she remembered she was going to call her mother.  
  
She decided to try her cell phone, and hoped she wasn't interrupting something important.  
  
"Meredith Logan."  
  
"Hi, mom, it's me."  
  
"Chloe? Is everything OK?"  
  
"Yeah, everything's fine, I took a day off from school today. Are you busy?"  
  
"No, not at all. I'm tied to my desk doing paper work. What's up?"  
  
"Well, I kinda need some fashion advice for this party I'm going to."  
  
"Oh, you always look nice, honey. Don't worry about it."  
  
"This party's going to be a little…'classier' than the usual Smallville fling. Lex Luthor invited me and some friends of mine to the opening of the new wing at the Modern Art Museum."  
  
"Wow. You met Lex Luthor at your dad's work, I assume?"  
  
"Actually, Clark pulled him out of a river when his car went off a bridge. So he became pretty close friends with Clark, and got to know all of his friends, you know?"  
  
"Mm-hmm. And what do you think your father will say about you going out with his boss?"  
  
"I'm not 'going out with him,' a whole group of us are going."  
  
"Honey, that's the oldest trick in the book. Then the other people 'get sick' or 'something came up,' etc, etc."  
  
"Well, that's not the case this time. As long as Lana Lang is alive and kicking, her devotees will be in attendance."  
  
"Ok, ok. I'm just anticipating what your father will say. I assume you haven't asked him yet?"  
  
"I only got an official invitation today, so I was going to officially ask daddy tonight."  
  
"Look, if you think it'll help convince him, tell him I'll be there. I'm coordinating the event. And I promise I'll try not to completely embarrass you in front of your friends."  
  
Chloe was surprised for a moment, but then realized that it was a Luthor event. Of course her mother would be there.  
  
"Thanks, mom."  
  
"No problem, it should be a lot of fun. I've seen some of the works to be unveiled; they're something else. And I assume you want to cover the opening for your paper?"  
  
"Of course. It's also a prime chance to get out of Smallville for a night."  
  
"Always a good thing." Meri laughed. She remembered the days when she would have found * any * excuse to get out of Smallville for even an hour. "So you need something nice to wear…something a little sexy for the boys, but modest enough so your father will let you out of the house?"  
  
"Pretty much." She chuckled.  
  
"Well, I have some clothes of mine that I've been meaning to give you. I haven't been able to fit in them for years. Most of them are pretty daring, but a few of the dresses might be appropriate. Why don't I pick you up after school tomorrow, we'll go into the city, and if nothing I've got works, we'll go buy you something?"  
  
Chloe was almost speechless. "That'd be great! Thank you!"  
  
"No need to thank me. I'm not sure if your father would approve of me giving you the outfits of my youth…or if they're even still in style. God, I'm old."  
  
"You're not 'old.' You're just 'not a teenager.'"  
  
"In some industries, that is the definition of 'old.'"  
  
"Oh, quiet, you look at least a decade younger than all my friends' moms."  
  
"Thank you, can I have that in writing?" Meri laughed. "Now, what time should I be at your school?"  
  
"Three o'clock is fine."  
  
"Alright, I'll be there. See you tomorrow?"  
  
"See you then."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Chloe ended the call and felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She liked spending time with her mom, though it was more like having a big sister. Chloe stretched out on the couch, content to spend the rest of the day mulling over the best way to broach the subject to her dad at dinner that night…….  
  
  
  
That afternoon was unusually sunny and warm, so Clark and Pete ate lunch out doors. They sat at one of the large, picnic tables in the courtyard at the Pete was already plowing through his pizza and fries by the time Clark had pulled his ham sandwich and apple out of his paper bag.  
  
"Pete, they've invented this new thing called 'chewing'…ever heard of it?"  
  
"Hey man," he replied, between bites, "I only have half an hour, and I need to eat AND ask Patricia out for Friday. Give a man a break!"  
  
Clark laughed as Pete shoveled the remaining fries into his mouth They both looked up as the doors to the courtyard swung open, letting in a swarm of cheerleaders. Pete was next to Patricia in a heartbeat, and said something in her ear that made her laugh. If he had tried, Clark could have heard what she said, but his focus was somewhere else entirely. Even though she wasn't on the squad anymore, Lana was still friends with several cheerleaders. She shaded her eyes from the sun with her hand, and scanned the courtyard. She spotted Clark, smiled, and started walking over.  
  
"Mind if I join you?"  
  
"No, go ahead."  
  
She slid her bag to the ground and slid onto the bench next to him. She leaned down, unzipped her bag, and pulled out her lunch. She also brought her lunch from home.  
  
"Nell pack you anything good?"  
  
"We shall soon see…ah, turkey sandwich, orange, and crackers. Not bad." She took a bite of her sandwich. Clark tried to continue to eat normally, but her proximity was making it difficult. The sun was warming her hair, and he could smell her flowery shampoo and her peach lotion. If he inhaled deeper, he could smell hay and horses, and her vanilla lip-gloss. After a moment, he realized Lana was looking at him. She must have asked him something.  
  
"Huh? Sorry, I spaced out."  
  
"I noticed," she laughed. "I asked if you had gotten hold of Chloe when you called her."  
  
"Ah, no, I got her voicemail. But she said in her outgoing message that she was just taking a day off."  
  
"Sounds like a good idea."  
  
"So, is Whitney excited about going to the museum tomorrow night?" As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Clark regretted them. He wanted to enjoy these few minutes alone with Lana, and what did he do? He brought up the person that kept them apart.  
  
Lana smiled. "He's actually really looking forward to it. He wasn't going to go at first, he was scheduled to work at the store, but his mother insisted. She shuffled the schedule around so Whitney could go. He needs a night out with no worries, no responsibilities, you know?"  
  
"Yeah. It'll be good for him. Any news about his dad?"  
  
"Not much. Whitney doesn't like to talk about it, but his mother talks to me sometimes. He's in stable condition, but, of course, they wish he was improving by now."  
  
"Of course." Clark was still kicking himself for bringing it up, as Lana started to slowly peel and eat her orange. He wanted desperately to break the somber mood. He was about to ask her some conversational question about her horse, when the bell rang to end lunch. Lana smiled, and said she had to hurry off to gym. She absently licked some orange juice off her thumb, and Clark had to struggle not to stare and drool. She picked up her bag, and walked out of the courtyard. He sighed, and realized that he and Pete also had to get to the gym. He called over to his friend, who was in the middle of getting Patricia's phone number. She waved to the boys as she left, her ponytail bouncing as she walked.  
  
"She's a great girl. Really funny." Pete said, as Clark approached him.  
  
"Cool."  
  
"What's wrong, man? Didn't you have a nice conversation with Lana?"  
  
"I did until I brought up Whitney and his dad."  
  
"Ouch! Not smart my friend, not smart at all…" Pete shook his head as they s shouldered their bags and headed for gym. At least it was the last class of the day. Clark was looking forward to going to Chloe's house after school; he was so confused about how to approach Lana. She could give him good advice… advice better than Pete's anyway.  
  
  
  
As his last meeting of the day wound to a close, Lex tried not to look too eager to leave. He shook hands, distributed business cards, and thanked the receptionist on his way out. As the valet left to bring his car around, he loosened his tie and checked his watch.  
  
"Six o'clock. Get back to Smallville by nine at the latest." He thought.  
  
He tipped the valet, got into his car, and tried to maintain a reasonable speed as he exited the garage. The need to get away from all of * this * was unbearable. He ripped his tie all the way off and unbuttoned the top three buttons of his dress shirt. As soon as he was on the road the windows went down, the music went up, and Lex was on his way home.  
  
Traffic was moving steadily, at least. He couldn't stand to be sitting around on the highway after a day like this. The morning had been nice enough, and he smiled when he remembered his visit with Chloe. She had been adorably disheveled in her pajamas, and had seemed genuinely pleased with his company. And her french toast really was very good. He remembered how she had smelled when they had sat so close together on the couch. A scent he could only describe as "slept-in." He suddenly remembered a special he had seen on television one night when he couldn't sleep. It was about human sexuality and he had learned that people aren't attracted to other people that smell too much like themselves. That may signify that the person is too close to them genetically, and their offspring may not be as strong. The show illustrated this by having a dozen men sleep in t-shirts, and then having a woman smell the shirts and pick out who smelled the most attractive. She chose the shirts of the men most dissimilar from herself. Come to think of it, Chloe smelled nothing like he did…  
  
"Whoa! Where'd that came from?" Lex said aloud. "I am not attracted to Chloe Sullivan. She is the daughter of one of my employees, and a minor."  
  
He tried to convince himself, but gave up when it started to take his concentration off driving. With a sigh, he resigned himself and try to just think about women in general. When that didn't work, women in particular.  
  
Lana Lang?  
  
"Pretty, but too naïve…too many hang-ups, as well. She'd probably think pre- marital sex would disappoint her parents, or something."  
  
Nell Potter?  
  
"Oh, please."  
  
Martha Kent?  
  
"Nice looking, in that 'farm-wife' kind of way. I bet she was pretty wild in her Metropolis days."  
  
Victoria?  
  
"Never again."  
  
Inevitably, his thoughts kept coming back to Chloe. And what was wrong with that? She was an attractive, witty, intelligent woman. So why was he hoping that he would feel differently when he woke up tomorrow…for her sake?  
  
  
  
At six o'clock the door opened, and Chloe sat up on the couch to see her dad and Clark walk in. She had fallen asleep watching TV. Her dad shook his head and gave her a kiss on the forehead.  
  
"Is this all you did today, sleep?"  
  
"I'll have you know, I received your message, and the last load of clothing is in the dryer as we speak."  
  
"Oh, happy day!" Gabe whooped, as he tossed his briefcase onto the armchair and snatched the remote from its resting-place on the floor. Now it was Chloe's turn to shake her head; her dad was so weird sometimes. "Look who I found." He said, indicating Clark, who was still in the doorway.  
  
"Hi Clark, come on in. I got your message." He stepped in and closed the door behind him. Chloe turned her attention back to her father. "What do you want for dinner: frozen pizza or macaroni and cheese?" She asked as she stood.  
  
"Oh, you decide. I have to decompress." Gabe sighed as he pried off his shoes.  
  
"OK, Clark, do you want to stay for dinner?" She smiled at him.  
  
He smiled back. "Sure, Chloe. Just let me call my folks."  
  
She led him into the kitchen and showed him the phone. He put the folder on the kitchen table and indicated that it was for her. She opened it and flipped through her missed assignments, while surreptitiously checking him out. She had had a crush on him for so long, that she had memorized how the denim draped itself on his legs. He hung up the phone and grinned at her.  
  
"Mom said it's fine as long as you get me home by ten."  
  
"I think I can manage that. It doesn't look like I missed too much. Thanks for bringing these over, Clark."  
  
"No problem. Yeah, there's a small writing assignment for English, and then a few Algebra worksheets, and that's it."  
  
"Seems I picked the right day to play hooky. So, since my dad doesn't have much of an opinion on the subject, what would you prefer for dinner?"  
  
"Uh, pizza sounds good."  
  
"And easier! Good choice." She turned the oven on and removed the pizza from the freezer. "If you want something to drink, help yourself. I have to forage around for the cookie sheet, now."  
  
As Clark got up to get a glass, he scanned the cabinets with his x-ray vision. He spotted the pan in one of the higher ones, opened it, and pulled it out for her.  
  
"Clark Kent, you are a wonder!" She exclaimed.  
  
"I guess I just know my way around a kitchen." He shrugged, and poured himself a glass of milk. Chloe put the pizza in the oven, set the timer, and joined Clark at the table.  
  
"So, did I miss anything newsworthy? I need a complete rundown of your day."  
  
Clark laughed, and assured her that she had missed nothing much. He told her about Pete's latest female interest; she laughed and told him how Lex had invited her to the museum event on Sunday. He asked about her mom and yoga, but she could tell there was something else on his mind.  
  
"Is something bothering you, Clark?"  
  
"I just wish this thing with Lana was less complicated. I think she knows I like her, but I'm not sure if she likes me as just a friend, or if there's something more there and she's just staying with Whitney out of sense of duty or something. It's driving me crazy."  
  
"I'm not sure what to tell you, Clark, that I haven't said before. It's a classic love-triangle. No matter how nice and polite everyone tries to be, someone WILL get hurt. And nine times out of ten it's the nice guy. The situation is trickier because Whitney's dad is sick. He's in the position to lose a parent. Whether she knows it or not, Lana is drawn to that because she feels a connection to him. Also, because she never really had a father figure she wants to have a big, strong man around to protect and dominate her. You don't want to get yourself mixed up in that. Or do you?"  
  
When she finished, Chloe was out of breath. Clark looked confused and a little upset, but he remained silent. Typical reaction to anyone saying something that could be perceived as "against Lana." Chloe finally realized that he did want to be Lana Lang's protector. He wanted the responsibility of taking care of her and saving her from the stupid things she did to herself. Well, fine. Let him try, if that's what he wants so much.  
  
The timer buzzed, and Chloe heard her father rouse himself out of his chair. Clark also seemed to snap out of it and offered to help set the table. The first half of the meal was silent for different reasons. Gabe, because he was tired, Clark, because he was upset, and Chloe, because she didn't understand what, exactly, she was feeling. She felt as if she was seeing Clark for the first time. The protective instincts that made him such a good friend would stifle her if he was her lover. His need to constantly check on people wouldn't be very conducive to investigative reporting, either. Finally, she realized that Clark and her father were talking. They were discussing the museum opening, and Gabe turned to his daughter.  
  
"Were you planning on telling me about this?"  
  
"I only got an official invitation today, I was going to ask you tonight."  
  
"It's going to be just you kids and Lex Luthor? I don't know…"  
  
"And mom. I talked to mom today, and she said she would be there. It's her job and all."  
  
"I could think of better chaperones."  
  
"You know, she's not that wild girl you married anymore, daddy." Chloe looked him in the eye, anticipating an argument followed by numerous apologies to Clark. But instead, Gabe only sighed and spread his hands.  
  
"You're right, honey. I'm sorry. This thing sounds like fun, you should go."  
  
"Really? You're sure?"  
  
"What, I'm not an ogre, of course I'm sure!" He laughed, and reached over to muss Chloe's hair.  
  
"Dad…" She whined, remembering Clark was there, and somewhat embarrassed at his displays of fatherly affection. "There's just one more thing I wanted to ask you. I needed something nice to wear, and mom offered to pick me up after school tomorrow and we'd look for something in the city. Is that OK?" She asked, smiling sweetly at her dad. Remembering her mother's words earlier that day, she left out the bit about trying on some of Meredith's old dresses.  
  
"Sure, honey. I'm probably going to have a late meeting tomorrow, anyway. You and your mom have fun."  
  
"Thanks. We will."  
  
The trio finished eating, and Gabe offered to do the dishes while Chloe drove Clark home. As they got into her car, Chloe suddenly became acutely aware that Clark had not spoken to her for awhile. To fill the silence, she turned the radio on softly as she pulled out onto the road. After a few minutes, she couldn't stand it any longer.  
  
"Are you mad at me?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why so quiet, then?"  
  
"Just thinking."  
  
"'Bout what?"  
  
"What you said about Lana."  
  
"I'm sorry if I upset you."  
  
"No, it's alright." He sighed, and settled into the well-worn seat. "A lot of it was true. You just don't want me to get hurt, and I appreciate that, You're a good friend, Chloe."  
  
"I try." She smiled at him, and to her relief, he smiled back. As she pulled into the drive that led to the Kent house, she thanked him again for bringing her her missed work. He gave her a full-fledged lopsided Clark Kent grin this time.  
  
"Any time, Chloe. See you tomorrow?"  
  
"Without a doubt." She waved to Mrs. Kent as she opened the door to greet her son, and went back down the drive. When she arrived home, she finished her assignments before she went to bed so she could spend first period tomorrow on the paper. She had a hard time falling asleep, and decided to try some of the meditations they did in yoga class to relax and clear her mind. As she lay in bed, she tensed and relaxed every muscle and tried to push her problems with Clark to the back of her mind…  
  
"…solved clothing dilemma, check…talked to daddy, check…finished homework, check….sleep…"  
  
  
  
After a long day, Lex was finally getting the sleep he desperately needed. He thought ahead to the opening of his father's wing on Wednesday, and he felt his stomach do flip-flops. He was thinking about Chloe, wondering what she would wear….  
  
"Ok, that's enough. You had a long day, and she was the only pretty girl you saw. Your brain is tired and restless so it's latching on to her. Get over it…."  
  
But instead of the usual dreams/nightmares about the meteor storm, this night Lex Luthor dreamt about a woman. In the dream, he never saw all of her at once, she was an intoxicating collage of features. She was creamy white skin. She was blue eyes and brilliant smile. A delicate ankle. A tiny, perfect earlobe. He buried his face where her neck met her shoulder and breathed in deeply…he knew what she would smell like…knew he should stop it before it got out of control…but didn't really want to. She had to be the one to stop him, if anything would at all…… 


	6. Tuesday Morning - The Aftermath

Disclaimer: P'shaw! If I owned "Smallville," I wouldn't be sitting here at a reception desk in mid-town…..  
  
Spoilers: Nicodemus  
  
This Chapter is Rated: PG-13  
  
  
  
  
  
Lex Luthor had not slept well. At least he didn't have to face a day full of meetings like yesterday. He rolled out of bed with a groan and shuffled into his bathroom. He laid out a fluffy blue towel and slid out of his cotton pajama bottoms. As he turned on the hot water in the shower, he looked at himself in the mirror.  
  
He was almost hairless due to his childhood 'accident,' but he still had very light eyebrows and eyelashes. He never had to shave and his armpits looked like a bikini model's. His complexion was pale, (he * had * been a redhead) and his veins were quite visible in his wrists, upper arms, and…a few other places. His eyes were the most colorful part of his body, now. Two deep, navy circles around baby blue irises. He liked them because, while the rest of him may have some resemblance to his father, he had no claim to Lex's eyes.  
  
He climbed into his shower and leaned against the tile wall, letting the warm sprays pummel his body awake. Lex's thoughts wandered back to his dreams. They had tortured him all night because he had tried to resist. He didn't have the strength to fight them right now. Maybe it would be all right, he was by himself. Nothing bad could happen, it was safe. Maybe if he gave in just a little, these feelings would go away….  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-THWACK!!!  
  
"You * are * going to school today!"  
  
"Yes…" Chloe rolled out of bed and pulled on her bathrobe. She had had a restless night after she dropped Clark off, and really wanted a shower to improve her mood. But when she opened her door, though, she heard her father start the shower for himself. "Running late?" she called.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be out in a jiffy."  
  
Chloe shuffled into the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of cereal. She got her day planner out of her room and brought it to the kitchen table. She had all her work done for her classes that day. She was going to do a profile of the Conservation Club during first period, and she needed to set up an appointment to interview the head of the English Department about plagiarism in term papers. She could do that during lunch. She was looking forward to seeing her mother that night. She needed to talk to another woman who had had experience with men. Hardheaded men, specifically. The water in the bathroom turned off, and her dad left a trail of sopping wet footprints into his room. Shaking her head, Chloe put her bowl in the sink and went to take her shower…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
When Clark had talked to Chloe last night, a lot of what she said about Lana had rung true in his ears. But when he scrambled on to the bus in the morning and saw Lana sitting there, smiling at him…he forgot everything. She had that affect on him every time he saw her. All she had to do was look at him with those big, chocolate eyes. She asked how he was and they made small talk until one of Lana's cheerleader friends was picked up. Clark was content to sit back and watch her.  
  
He started to feel a little guilty for not defending her to Chloe last night. For some reason, when he was alone with Chloe, it was so easy to get swept up along with what she was saying. It made her a great reporter, but he wasn't sure if she had been giving him the most objective advice. He had thought the two girls had a tentative friendship, but now he knew what Chloe really thought about Lana. When he looked at her, smiling and talking excitedly with her friend, Clark didn't see anything that Chloe had said last night. Lana was sweet, pretty, thoughtful, and was very independent. And, after all, they were all still teenagers! Wasn't Lana allowed to take some time for self-discovery? Why was Chloe being so judgmental of her? Was she jealous? Did she resent Lana's popularity, did she feel that Lana was stealing her best friend from her?  
  
Clark was so deep in thought that he didn't notice that the bus had pulled up at school. He looked up when Pete shook his shoulder.  
  
"Hey, Clark! You OK? I didn't even see you back here, I thought you missed the bus again!"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just lost in thought, I guess." He stood and followed Pete off the bus. As they walked toward the school, Clark tried to concentrate on what Pete was talking about, but he was totally pre-occupied with thoughts of Lana and Chloe. He needed to talk to her…and soon.  
  
When he got to the offices of the Torch, Chloe wasn't alone. She was interviewing a group of about ten students about their club. She looked up when Clark and Pete walked in and smiled briefly before turning her attention back to her interview. The boys made their way to a free desk as quietly as they could, and waited for her to finish. They didn't have to wait long.  
  
"OK, I think that's all I need. Now, if I can get you guys to line up by the wall over there, and I'll get a picture." The students lined up as Chloe had indicated, some slouching, some smiling, and at least one looking out the window as she snapped the photo.  
  
"Perfect. Thanks for coming in guys." As soon as the last student had left, Chloe rolled her eyes dramatically and flopped into her rolling chair.  
  
"Bad interview?" Pete asked.  
  
"You could say that. From what I gathered, the goal of the Conservation Club is to conserve our national reserves of pot."  
  
"At least they're concerned about plants." Pete offered.  
  
"It just proves once again that all the morons at this school tend to crowd together. It does make it easier to ignore them en masse, though."  
  
"So everyone who's not like you is a moron?" Clark snapped. Pete stared at Clark, openmouthed. Chloe was stunned for a moment, but immediately recovered.  
  
"If by 'not like me' you mean a pot-head, then yes. Where did that come from, Kent?"  
  
"I'm just tired of you sitting around, making declarations about people's worth."  
  
"This is about what I said last night, isn't it? Look, I didn't say that Lana was a bad person, I said that you could get hurt involving yourself in that situation."  
  
"Out of concern for me?"  
  
"Of course. You're my friend, Clark, I care about you."  
  
"But you're jealous that I like to spend time with Lana? Why?"  
  
"Argh!" Chloe threw up her hands in frustration. " You really just don't get it, do you? Then you and Lana should be perfect together." Chloe stormed out of the room.  
  
"What the hell was that all about?" Pete asked. Clark didn't answer. He simply picked up his bag, opened the door, and walked out. Pete decided to give him a little space. He went to a computer and opened the article he was working on for Chloe. After a few minutes of typing, the bell rang, and kids flooded the halls. Pete saved his work and turned off the computer. His next class was with Clark…maybe he could find something out from him then.  
  
Pete and Clark sat at a table by themselves in Art class. Today they were finishing watercolor projects; Pete was painting a portrait of his mother, Clark, a landscape of the farm. After the teacher handed out the materials, she went back to her desk and continued reading her book. She really didn't care if students talked, listened to music with their headphones, whatever, as long as they got their work done. Pete wasn't sure how to approach Clark about the argument with Chloe, so he decided to try to draw him into a conversation.  
  
"That's coming along really good, man. You think you'll be finished by the end of class today?"  
  
"Yeah. I don't have much more I want to do." He replied, listlessly. Clark didn't say anything else, just kept mixing the greens into a corn field color. Pete decided he wasn't going to get anywhere being subtle.  
  
"Ok, what's up with you and Chloe?"  
  
Clark looked up, finally. "We sorta had a fight last night, I thought I was OK with it, but I thought about it some more and I'm not."  
  
"You really think that Chloe is jealous of Lana? You don't just think that she's looking out for you, as a friend?"  
  
"But the Lana she talks about and the Lana I know are two different people. What am I supposed to go with here, my heart or my friend?"  
  
"Well, what feels right, man? Are you going to throw away your friendship with Chloe over this?"  
  
Clark never answered him. For the rest of class he was lost in thought. Pete decided not to press the issue any more, and continued working on his project. The bell rang, and Clark didn't get up. Pete reminded him they had Biology with Chloe next, and Clark replied that he didn't feel good, and was going home.  
  
He went to the school nurse, convincingly portraying an upset stomach and migraine, and his mother came to pick him up. He felt a little bad for worrying her, she thought that something had happened regarding his "powers." He explained that he had a lot on his mind and just needed to think for awhile. She seemed to understand…  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Pete was trying to talk to Chloe during Biology. However, in this class, the teacher was not so lenient about talking and threatened to send Pete to detention if he didn't stop "bothering Miss Sullivan." Chloe shot him an apologetic look, and indicated that they would talk afterwards. When the bell finally rang, the students gathered their books, and Chloe walked over to Pete.  
  
"Sorry you got yelled at."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Are you OK?"  
  
"Yeah. No. I don't know." Chloe sighed. "I wish that my emotions could make a decision, you know?"  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Pete didn't like seeing his friends upset at each other. He cared a great deal for Chloe, and he didn't like to see guys treating her badly, even if they were his friends. "You know, I bet by tomorrow this whole thing will have blown over."  
  
Chloe sighed. "I hope so. I feel like he's waiting for me to apologize, but if he thinks I'm going to chase him down the hall crying 'Clark, wait, you're right, please forgive me!' then he is sadly mistaken. It's not my fault he decided to PMS."  
  
Pete shrugged. He wasn't sure what, if any, advice to give her. He didn't want to make things worse.  
  
"Sorry, Pete. I didn't want to drag you into this, too."  
  
"You didn't drag me into anything. I just don't like it when my two best friends fight, that's all." He opened the door for her as they walked out into the hall.  
  
Chloe smiled at him. He was such a good friend, always willing to listen to her. If she felt about him the same way he felt about her, this would all be much simpler. She was glad that Pete didn't remember what he had said to her when he was under the influence of the Nicodemus flower. She felt bad, but she had never led him on, never made him believe she thought of him as anything other than a friend. It would be too cruel. So even though Chloe admonished him for his compulsive dating habits, she was secretly glad that he didn't sit at home, pining away for her. In time, she hoped his romantic feelings for her would fade. She didn't want to hurt the man who was now, possibly, her only friend…  
  
  
  
  
  
Clark was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling when his mother came up to talk to him. She watched him for a second, and wondered if he was looking at the ceiling or through it. She cleared her throat, and he looked up at her with a start.  
  
"Mom! I didn't hear you come up."  
  
"I hope I'm not disturbing you too badly. How do you feel?"  
  
"Pretty bad. I had a little fight with Chloe last night, but now it's just blown up."  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"I don't know. I'm not even sure what I'm thinking right now."  
  
Martha's brow wrinkled with concern. She rocked back on her heels and thought for a moment.  
  
"You know, Clark, you haven't talked to Lex in a few days. Why don't you bring his delivery over a little early and talk to him about this?"  
  
She knew that Jonathan wouldn't be thrilled, but Clark needed to talk to another guy about this. Clark looked up at her gratefully.  
  
"Thanks, mom. Are you sure you guys don't need the truck?"  
  
"We'll know where to find you if we do. I even have the order loaded in there, you just have to drive over."  
  
Clark's face broke into a huge smile as he stood and hugged his mother.  
  
"Thanks, Mom."  
  
"Just don't be gone too long." She said, as she handed Clark the keys.  
  
  
  
  
  
Lex was just thinking he could use a distraction for his tedious paper work, when his housekeeper announced that Clark was there. He stood and stretched his legs as the woman retreated to show Clark in to Lex's office.  
  
"Good afternoon, Clark. No school today?"  
  
"Yeah, but I wasn't feeling too hot, so I went home."  
  
"You're sick?"  
  
"No, I just have too much on my mind. I was hoping I could talk to you about it."  
  
"Of course, Clark, I'm your friend." He gestured for Clark to sit in one of the armchairs on the far side of the room. The two chairs faced the fireplace, and there was a well stocked bar to the left of them. To the right, a huge bay window that looked toward Smallville. "Would you like anything to drink?" Lex asked.  
  
"Just some water, if you don't mind."  
  
"Not at all." Lex opened the mini-fridge underneath the bar and pulled out two bottles of water. He gave one to Clark and opened the other for himself as he sat in the other chair. "So, what's on your mind, Clark?"  
  
Clark took a deep breath, and began.  
  
"It's about Chloe…" he started. 


	7. Tuesday Afternoon - Clark and Chloe

A/N : I know it's been a few days, but I'm getting my groove back, as it were. Feedback would make me smile!  
  
Disclaimer: You know the drill.  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
This Chapter is Rated: PG  
  
[ ] denotes thoughts, but you probably already figured that out….  
  
  
  
  
  
If Clark hadn't had Lex's full attention before, he definitely had it now.  
  
"What about Chloe?" ["Have you finally realized she's crazy about you?"]  
  
Clark took a deep breath.  
  
"Well, Chloe and I have been friends for years. We look out for one and other, but lately…I don't know. We were talking last night, and she said some things about Lana…well, they got me thinking."  
  
"What did she say?"  
  
"She basically said that I was going to get hurt whether I ended up with Lana or not. She said that since Whitney's dad is sick and could die, Lana feels a connection to him. And since she 'never really had a father figure she wants to have a big, strong man around to protect and dominate her.'"  
  
"Why did that bother you so much?" ["Isn't that true?"]  
  
"I don't know. I just got the feeling that she was trying to show Lana in the worst possible light, to get me to…" Clark trailed off.  
  
"To what?" ["To get you to see the beautiful woman right in front of you? "]  
  
"I think she's jealous of Lana. I think that she's afraid that I'll forget all about her."  
  
"Why would Chloe be jealous of Lana?" Lex asked. He tried to keep his voice neutral and somewhat disinterested. Just helping a good friend talk out his feelings, but simply talking about Chloe filled his mind with heated thoughts.  
  
"Well, Chloe's always been sort of an outsider. And I thought she liked it like that, but I think that she's becoming jealous of Lana's popularity and the fact that I like her. It just bothers me that Chloe seems so insecure of our friendship."  
  
"Well, let's switch gears for a moment. Why is it that you are so attracted to Ms. Lang?" Lex leaned back in his chair.  
  
"Well, she's beautiful, obviously. That was the first thing I noticed about her. She's caring and sweet; she's open-minded and wants to do something with her life outside of Smallville. She's a good listener, and…"  
  
Lex stopped listening, but Clark went on and on. If he hadn't known whom Clark was talking about, he could easily have been praising Chloe. But Lex was somewhat glad that he wasn't. He was glad that Clark remained oblivious to her. Lex's reverie was broken when he realized that Clark had finished speaking.  
  
"Uh, so…just explain to Chloe that you appreciate her concern, but you have to do what feels right to you. If she's a good friend, she'll understand. You both have a lot of emotions regarding each other, and you need to be careful to preserve the friendship. Talk to her tomorrow at school. I'm sure she'll have cooled down by then, and then you two can have a nice time at the opening."  
  
Clark sighed. "You're right. I'm looking forward to going tomorrow, thanks again for inviting me."  
  
"Not at all. I like to spend time with my friends. And speaking of the opening, I believe you and I were going to discuss your attire...I'm surprised your parents agreed to let me do this for you."  
  
"Well, Mom convinced Dad that jeans and flannel just wasn't going to cut it. Throw in the 'expanding my cultural horizons' argument…"  
  
"Enough said." Lex glanced at his watch. "What time do you have to be home?"  
  
Clark shrugged. "Not for a little while, I guess."  
  
"Good. I had a few suits sent over from Metropolis, you should go try them on and see what you like. If the size is wrong, I can always get one in the correct size by tomorrow night." Lex led Clark out of the office to a small room down the hall. There was a rack of suits in the middle of the room, along with an assortment of belts, shirts, ties, and shoes. One wall was flanked with mirrors.  
  
"Wow. Lex, you shouldn't have gone through so much trouble." Clark was astonished at the selection of clothes. They were obviously on the expensive side, and he was a little embarrassed by Lex's generosity. He always had a feeling that it came with a price.  
  
"Nonsense. I want you to feel comfortable and look your best so you can have fun tomorrow. I'll just be finishing some paperwork back in my office, if you need me. Let me know what you decide."  
  
Lex closed the door behind him and walked silently down the hall back to his office. He sat at his desk, and tried to get back to work….  
  
  
  
  
  
It was three o'clock on the dot when Chloe stepped outside Smallville High. She didn't see her mom's car, so she plunked herself down on the curb of the parking lot. She pulled on her sunglasses and watched as the other students scrambled into station wagons and mini-vans. Clark had mysteriously vanished in the middle of the day, and Chloe was in some way relieved that she didn't have to sit through class after class with him. He probably just went home. Or over to Lex's. For some reason, thinking of Lex made her smile. Maybe it was the way he could match wits with her, or the way he wasn't so easy to read. Maybe it was because he never treated her as anything less than an equal. She found herself thinking about when he had come to visit her at home. She'd noticed that he had pretty eyes. Pretty eyes and a nice butt. She shook her head violently.  
  
["Ok, who are you and what have you done with Chloe Sullivan?]  
  
After a few minutes, she recognized her mom's sedan pulling into the lot. She stood and waved, then walked over to the car.  
  
"How was your day?" Meredith asked as Chloe got in.  
  
"Not too excruciating." Chloe replied, tossing her bag onto the back seat. ["Unless you count having your best friend scream in your face."]  
  
"Ever the dramatic one." Meri laughed as they pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
"Who do you think I get it from?" They didn't say much else until they got out of Smallville. As soon as they were on the open highway, Chloe leaned forward and turned down the radio. "I wanted to talk to you about something."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"I had an argument about Lana with Clark."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"I said, basically, that the girl has major issues and that Clark is going to get hurt either way."  
  
"And he didn't take it very well."  
  
"I thought he did. But then today he totally blew up at me. Said I was jealous of her! Can you believe that?"  
  
"Are you?" ["'Cause you're sure acting like you are."]  
  
"I don't believe this, now you too?! But of course, if any one says anything against the almighty Lana, they must be crazy or jealous!"  
  
"Whoa! Defensive much? It was just a question."  
  
Chloe sighed, and tried to calm down. This had been eating away at her all day, but she was tired of going over the same old things. She had to just get everything off her chest, once and for all.  
  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that, it's just…Argh!" She threw up her hands. "I never said that Lana was a bad person. She's a very sweet girl, and a good friend. But I know Clark, and this protective streak he has, and the two of them together could be really destructive. You know, what? When it comes right down to it, I'm just tired of all this. I'm tired of hearing Clark talk about how great Lana is right in front of me. I'm tired of that farm-boy naivete. I'm tired of being the 'interim friend' until someone better comes along."  
  
"Are you saying you're tired of Clark?"  
  
"No! Never. Not as a friend."  
  
"But you don't think you want to be more than that, anymore?"  
  
"I don't know. I mean, maybe I'm just mad at him today, and I feel different…"  
  
Meredith abruptly cut her off. "Look, sweetie. If there's one thing I know about relationships, it's that you need to trust your instincts, not second- guess them. If you are really in love with somebody, and you get in a fight, even though you're pissed, you still love them. Maybe you've outgrown Clark as a romantic interest, but if you doubt what you're feeling, you might miss the right person when they come along."  
  
Chloe was silent, she just looked out the window, playing with her necklace. Meri turned the radio back up, and neither of them spoke again until they reached Metropolis. As Meri pulled into her building's parking garage, Chloe seemed to snap out of her thoughts.  
  
"Wow, we're here already?"  
  
"Yep. Don't forget your bag."  
  
The two women walked to the elevator and rode up to Meredith's apartment on the 17th floor.  
  
"It's been awhile since you've been to my place, huh?" Meri asked as they stepped out onto the light coral carpeting of the hallway.  
  
"Yeah, since….Christmas two years ago."  
  
"Wow. That long, huh?" Meri unlocked the door labeled 17-A, and led Chloe inside. When she turned on the overhead lights in the living room, Chloe was amazed by how much the room had changed.  
  
"The last time I was here you had it painted red and yellow!"  
  
Meri stuck out her tongue. "I know. It was an awful phase. It was especially terrible when I had that big, green couch. What was I thinking?"  
  
The living room was now painted a light turquoise with blue and green accents. The aforementioned green couch was gone and was replaced with a cream colored sofa and armchair. Chloe put her bag down in the chair and looked around again.  
  
"I like it this way. It's definitely more peaceful."  
  
"That's what I was going for. I did all the other rooms the same way. Kitchen , bathroom, my room, everything. I repainted after I started going to yoga. I would feel peaceful and loved afterwards, but when I got home, my walls were screaming at me."  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Chloe plopped onto the sofa. "Sorry if I was anti-social in the car, I was just thinking about the stuff you said."  
  
"You don't have to explain to me. Thinking is good. Are you hungry, because I need a snack?"  
  
"Yeah, now that you mention it. What have you got?"  
  
Meri was in the kitchen, going through the cabinets and the fridge. "Cheerios, saltines, pickles, orange juice, half a loaf of bread, and peanut butter. I've been eating out a lot," she offered.  
  
"Apparently," Chloe laughed. "Peanut butter sandwiches sound good to me."  
  
"Me too. You sit down in there and relax. I'll make them, then we can go in my room and look through my 'collection.'"  
  
Chloe leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes. The room smelled faintly of the incense that one could buy on the streets of Metropolis' more bohemian neighborhoods. A window must have been open in her mother's room, because Chloe felt a light, cool breeze flutter in and she could hear the sounds of traffic down below. She wanted to enjoy this moment, this time with her mom. She didn't want to think about Clark. Her mother reappeared with the sandwiches, and they walked into her room. There were already a few items spread out on the bed.  
  
"I managed to pull a few things out this morning. Don't worry, there's more." Her mother went to the walk-in closet, and was immersed in colorful, cotton waves.  
  
Chloe looked at the clothes that were already laid out. A light blue peacoat. A pair of caramel-colored leather pants. A bright orange, lacy camisole. She was in a better mood already.  
  
"I'm going to go try on these pants," she called as she scurried to the bathroom. She peeled off her jeans and, upon realizing how tight the leather pants would be, her underwear. She looked under the sink and found a container of baby powder. As neatly as possible, she smoothed some over her legs and pulled the pants up. She pulled up the zipper on the side and ran her hands over the smooth, supple texture of the pants. They were a bit too long, but that could be hemmed. Chloe appraised herself in the mirror hanging on the door.  
  
"Damn, I have a nice ass!" Chloe smiled. They sat low on her hips, where she liked them. She folded her underwear into her pants and put them with her bag in the living room. Her mother was unloading another armload of clothes onto the bed when Chloe sauntered back in. She smiled at her daughter and whistled playfully.  
  
"Smallville, lock up your sons…." 


	8. Wednesday Morning - Lex's Dream

** A/N: "Sasha" is the Slavic/Russian pet name for "Alexander." ** I know it's short, but the spirit moved me to post this by itself.  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not have any legal claim to Smallville or any of the characters therein. I also do not own the rights to the Police song "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic." I'm just a naughty girl with a keyboard and spare time…  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
This Chapter is Rated: PG  
  
  
  
  
  
Wednesday, 6:50 a.m.  
  
Lex Luthor was dreaming….  
  
Once again, he was nine years old. Once again, the sky was falling. He could smell sulfurous fire all around him as he ran, blindly, through the cornfield. His hands were outstretched, clearing his path and being shredded by the stalks and leaves. He stumbled, fell, and had the wind knocked out of him. Lex's ears popped as he felt something heavy and hot land very close to him. The force of the impact made him fall, and he hit his head on the ground. Just before he fell unconscious, he felt a sensation like ten thousand ants crawling all over his body…  
  
He awoke in the dream, and sat up. His skin itched beneath his tattered school uniform. He stood, and a shower of fine, little hairs fell out of his un-tucked shirt. He looked down, and saw that where his head had been laying was outlined in clumps of curly, red hair. His hands flew to his head, and found only smooth skin. He started to cry. He didn't want to, Daddy would be mad, but he couldn't help it. He was covered in cuts and bruises, and he itched all over, and worst of all, he was alone.  
  
This was the part in the dream where his father found him and said horrible things. Lex closed his eyes, balled up his bleeding, little fists and waited for it, choking back sobs. He sensed another person approach and waited for the rough hands and venomous tones he knew so well. Instead, he felt a soft, gentle hand caress his naked scalp. The hands then reached down under his arms and lifted him up. He was still too afraid to open his eyes, lest his savior disappear. The hands drew him to rest on a cotton- covered hip as he nestled his head into a warm shoulder.  
  
"My poor baby…"  
  
Lex's heart ached when he heard that voice. He had wanted to find her here for so many years.  
  
"Mommy?"  
  
"Shh, it's all right." She shushed him, and he could feel her start to walk as she held him.  
  
After a minute, she set him down on the edge of what felt like a mattress. He dared to open his eyes just a little and saw that he was, indeed, seated on a four-poster bed in the middle of a decimated cornfield. He stole a look up at his companion…and she was just as he remembered her from his childhood. She wore a dark green dress but was barefoot. A silver clip held back the waves of copper hair that perfectly accented her blue eyes. The fabric of her dress was immaculate, despite having carried him in her arms. He wanted to say so many things to her, but he found himself unable to form the words. She smiled warmly at him, and reached out with one hand to caress his cheek.  
  
"I love you so much, Sasha. But a mother's love can only do so much for you, and you are not a little boy anymore."  
  
As she spoke, he realized that he was of normal size once again. Indeed, he was now wearing his pajamas. He also realized that he was not alone in the bed, and looked behind him. A nude blond was lying amongst the blue sheets. She stirred in her apparent sleep and turned towards him. It was Chloe Sullivan. He turned back towards his mother, but she was gone. He scanned the field in front of him, but there was no trace of her. The mattress shifted, and he felt a pair of hands snake around his waist and pull him towards their owner. A warm cheek pressed against his head as she whispered in his ear:  
  
"Let go of the fear and loss and just * be * with me…"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Happiness." Chloe turned his face towards hers and kissed him lightly on each of his eyelids. The warmth of her lips radiated through the thin skin, and he felt his tears start flowing once again. He hands moved from his cheeks to cup his jaw. He opened his eyes and looked into her eager, smiling face. "Of all the scary things out there, why are you most afraid of me, Sasha?"  
  
  
  
Wednesday, 7:00 a.m.  
  
Lex's alarm went off, waking him from the dream….  
  
"…Every little thing she does is magic…Everything she do just turns me on…Even though my life before was tragic…Now I know my love for her goes on…"  
  
He turned the radio off, and sat up. Lex remembered that it was Wednesday, and while society events usually didn't excite him that much, the thought of seeing * her * ….  
  
Just twelve and a half more hours….. 


	9. Wednesday Afternoon - Clark and Chloe (a...

Disclaimer: I do not own "Smallville," its characters, its locations, etc., etc.  
  
Spoilers: Nicodemus, a little  
  
This Chapter is Rated: PG-13, I guess.  
  
I love feedback! Don't be afraid to e-mail me! tempmandy@yahoo.com  
  
  
  
  
  
On the other side of town…  
  
  
  
Chloe turned the water in the shower off and grabbed her towel off the sink. She rubbed moisturizer into her face and neck, brushed her teeth, and scampered into her room to dress. Forgoing make-up, she gathered her laptop, books, and keys, and was off to school an hour and a half early.  
  
"I'll see you later!" She called out to her father.  
  
Last night, her mom had driven her back to school to pick up her car. (Ever since Pete had taken it for a joyride the vehicle had stalled out once or twice, and Gabe had forbidden her to drive it outside of Smallville.) They had had a really fun time going through all of Meri's old clothes. Her mom had choked up a bit when she found some of her maternity clothes in a box at the back of the closet. She sat there on the floor, fingering each one and sighing.  
  
"I don't think I need any of those." Chloe had joked.  
  
"You damn well better not." Meri had laughed, wiping her eyes.  
  
In the school parking lot, Chloe had transferred three full garbage bags of clothes into her trunk. By the time she got home, it was eleven o'clock, and she had fallen asleep immediately. She knew exactly what she was going to wear that night. It was red, backless, but still dressy enough for the occasion. It was perfect.  
  
The anticipation of the night ahead had woken her up early, so Chloe decided to make the best of it and get some extra work done on the paper. One side door of the school was open this early, to let the teachers in. She made her way to the teacher's lounge, her footsteps echoing in the empty halls. A few teachers were there, going over their lesson plans, and they didn't even look up as Chloe got her cup of coffee. They were all used to it.  
  
She unlocked the Torch office, and flipped on the lights. The florescents shuddered, then blinked to brightness. Chloe plugged in her laptop, had her first sip of coffee, and everything was as it should be. She had two articles to edit and one small one of her own to finish. Then she wanted to do some research on the museum opening…………………  
  
  
  
  
  
Chloe jumped when the first bell of the day rang. She looked up at the clock: eight-thirty. She sat up in her chair, and stretched her neck and arms. The door opened, and Clark, Pete, and Lana walked in. None of them were surprised that Chloe was already there.  
  
"Good morning, Chloe," Lana said. "Are you excited about tonight?"  
  
"Yeah, it could be a lot of fun. Kwan's glad to hear that I'll be covering something of 'cultural importance,' anyway."  
  
Lana laughed and nodded. "I just wanted to drop off the piece I wrote about the soccer team's bake sale. Not the most thrilling topic, but we must all do as the Kwan bids."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Sorry I can't stick around and be social, but I promised Whitney I'd meet him in the library to help him study for Algebra. His mom's only letting him go tonight if he passes the quiz today." Lana smiled guiltily, but Chloe waved her on her way with a smile. "See you guys later, huh?"  
  
Lana flashed the boys a dazzling smile as she breezed out the door. Both Pete and Clark grinned broadly and Clark lifted a hand as if to wave. The expression on their faces was what Chloe's mother would have called "googly eyes." To his credit, Clark snapped out of it pretty quickly, and stole a glance at Chloe. She met his eyes, and he looked down at his shoes. She pretended to be intently interested in her e-mail as Clark shuffled over to her desk.  
  
"Can I talk to you?"  
  
"If you're nice."  
  
Clark grabbed a chair from an adjoining desk and sat next to Chloe, who was still focused on her screen. Pete mumbled something about going to the bathroom and left, hoping that when he got back everything would be all right. Clark cleared his throat several times before Chloe finally took her hand off the mouse and turned to face him.  
  
"You wanted to say something?"  
  
"Yeah. Chloe, I'm sorry I yelled at you yesterday. I was out of line."  
  
"Apology accepted. But I thought that we had sorted all this out. What made you blow up like that?"  
  
Clark sighed. "I don't know, it's just that…I like Lana a lot, and you know that. And you're one of my best friends, Chloe. And I just felt like you were trying to say bad things about Lana because you were jealous of her monopolizing my time."  
  
Chloe fought to keep her voice even. "That wasn't my intention at all…"  
  
Clark cut her off. "I know, I know. You were just concerned about my emotional well being. But I can't change how I feel, no matter how much you may want me to. And I can't play it safe all the time, sometimes you have to risk being hurt to find happiness, you know?"  
  
"Yeah. From now on, I won't give you unsolicited romantic advice if you don't keep all your feelings bottled up until you have a bitch-fest. Deal?"  
  
Clark laughed and gave her an awkward hug while still in his chair. "Deal."  
  
Pete walked back in at just that second with three sodas in hand. "Is it safe to assume everyone's on good terms again?"  
  
"Ross, you have impeccable timing!" Chloe smiled. "Is that caffeine?"  
  
He shook his head and passed Chloe and Clark their sodas. Clark looked over Chloe's shoulder to what she was looking up on her computer.  
  
"You taking up bondage, Chloe?"  
  
Pete nearly spat out a mouthful of soda onto himself. "What?!"  
  
Chloe pretended to look appalled and rolled her eyes. "I'll have you know that these are beautiful, expensive sculptures, and we'll be seeing some similar ones tonight." Chloe turned her monitor out so that the boys could see the screen. There were several pictures of what, at first glance, looked like piles of garbage. One was made of a rusty old box spring, wrapped in barbed wire and Christmas lights. Another was an old electric chair with a picture of Jesus stapled to the seat.  
  
"Um….interesting…?" Clark offered.  
  
"I think that covers it," Pete agreed. "Well, at least our evening won't be boring."  
  
"Indeed." Chloe looked up as the bell rang again. "Where does the time go? Ok, which one of you darling boys wants to escort me to my locker?" 


	10. Wednesday Night - Prelude

Disclaimer: I have no legal claim to "Smallville," its characters, locations, etc. I write for pleasure, not profit.  
  
This Chapter is Rated: PG-13  
  
A/N: Sorry this has taken so long…and is so short…I have had some work related drama that has left me little spare time…  
  
Anyways, I tried to divide this chapter up a little more clearly, as my computer is gimp and likes to do things the hard way. Don't we all…..?  
  
Feedback is delicious and makes me smile.  
  
  
  
~CHLOE~  
  
  
  
The rest of the school day had passed in a haze of books, papers, and knowing smiles. Lana gleefully relayed that Whitney had passed his math quiz. Clark tried his best to look pleased for her, while Pete spent the better part of lunch trying to convince him to loosen up and "play the field" as it were. Chloe played the amused observer; too pre-occupied with her own excitement. She even ignored Pete and Clark's baited comments about the prospect of seeing her "dressed up like a girl." They had no idea…  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chloe looked at her reflection in the mirror and, for once, she didn't find some horrible flaw in herself. The thin, red material of the dress clung to her in all the right places. The neckline was high, accenting her collarbone and the back dipped down to an inch below her waist. She wore simple, black pumps that accentuated the curve of her calf and made her two inches taller. The cling of the dress would have forbid pantyhose, and Chloe was once again thankful for her love of thigh-highs and garters. She wore a pair of dangly, turquoise earrings that complemented her complexion perfectly and drew attention to her face. Her hair was straight and sleek, with one chunk of bangs that kept falling into her kohl-rimmed eyes. She smiled at the reflection. Surely, this was not Chloe Sullivan. This person was some sort of latter-day Jessica Rabbit. She twirled and strutted around her room, playing with different poses and practicing walking in heels. It had been a long time since she had been called upon to do so.  
  
She double-checked the contents of her purse: wallet, notebook, pen, keys, cell phone, lipgloss, and condom. Chloe Sullivan might have blushed at the implications of the latter, but not this mysterious lady in red. This sexy woman in the mirror was ready to be appreciated. She checked her watch, and realized her ride wouldn't be there for another half-hour. She carefully lay down on her bed, so as not to wrinkle her dress, and tried to clear her excited mind…  
  
  
  
  
  
~LEX~  
  
Lex leaned his head back against the cool porcelain and felt the drops of condensation congeal and trickle down his neck. He raised one foot out of the water and inspected the toes. They were just turning pruney. He could stay a moment longer.  
  
His thoughts went back to the dream that had awakened him. He was at once confused and nostalgic. He often wished he could dream of his mother, to see her alive and warm again, not just a photograph or a fading memory. All his memories of her now were related to the smell of hospital disinfectant, pristine bouquets of flowers, and her weak, gentle hands a mesh of needles, tubes, and tired veins. In a way, it was almost more painful to remember the happy times, they were just that more indicative of what had been lost. It had been so long since he thought of them, that he had even forgotten her pet name for him as a child. Just another scrap of his life torn out by losing her. Then, in the same instant that she had finally returned, she told him to let go of her memory. To look for, and trust, love again. Not all men were like his father. Not all women were like Victoria. He remembered those final weeks before she was gone; she had seemed almost desperate in her attempt to fill him with the intangible belief in love and goodness. Hoping that her influence would weather the storm of her husband's tongue. Was this her way of trying to reach out to him again? His well-trained self-doubt crept in, however, and he shook his head.  
  
"Yes, that's it, Lex. Your mother is reaching out to you from the grave to tell you to have your way with underage girls." He glanced at the wall clock and sighed. He reached forward, sloshing some water out of the tub, and plucked the stopper out of the drain. He would have to save the soul- searching for later. Right now, he had to dress…  
  
  
  
~CLARK~  
  
Clark was not surprised at his parents' reactions to his suit and the outing in general. His father had looked proud and displeased, while his mother was all smiles and flashbulb. He had to admit he cleaned up rather nicely. The suit fit perfectly, Lex had seen to that, and the charcoal color was very complimentary. The deep burgundy color of the shirt brought out the blue in his eyes and for once his hair was in some semblance of order. Taking care not to scuff his shoes, he climbed up into his loft to grab his coat and one, stolen, glance at Lana. It was crazy. He had seen her half an hour ago on the bus, and he would see her again in a few hours. But if the opportunity was there…  
  
Just as he went to the "window," he saw a limousine pull up to Lana's house and a young man get out. He looked through the telescope, and saw Whitney walk up the porch stairs and knock on the door. Half a second later, Lana appeared, swathed in frosty blue fabric. The low, afternoon sun gave her skin a beautiful, golden glow. Her hair was half up and half down, his favorite, and he smiled when he saw that she wore only a simple string of pearls around her neck. His smile dimmed somewhat when he saw her eyes light up at taking Whitney's arm. He opened the car door for her and helped her in. Though shielded from human eyes, Clark could will his sight through the steel and glass and watch as Whitney cupped Lana's face in his hands and gave her a chaste, loving kiss on her lips. Clark was so intently watching Lana that he missed when Whitney must have spoken to her. She blushed, bowed her head, and looked at him through her lashes. She murmured what must have been "Thank you," and grabbed Whitney's hand, pulling it to her cheek. Clark wondered if he could ever make her look at him like that. He shook his head and sighed. The limo was pulling out of the Lang's heading down the road as another was pulling into the Kent's. As much as he loved her company, Clark was a bit relieved he didn't have to spend the next three hours under Whitney's suspicious gaze.  
  
He went back into the kitchen, kissed his mother on the cheek, and assured them that yes, he would have a good time, and yes, he would be careful. He fairly bounded out the front door, and was only mildly surprised when it was Pete that got out to greet him, not Lex. He had assumed that Lex would arrange for Chloe and Pete to ride together. He managed to mask his confusion convincingly, though, and greeted his friend.  
  
"Hey Pete."  
  
"Hey. Looking sharp, my man! Between the two of us, no ladies will be safe!"  
  
He laughed. "Thanks. Speaking of ladies, is Chloe hiding in there?"  
  
"Nope. I thought maybe she was riding with Lana and Whitney."  
  
Clark frowned. "No. They just left. I saw Whitney and Lana, but no Chloe."  
  
Pete shrugged. "Maybe she just didn't get out. Come on, man. We don't want to be late. We'll see her there."  
  
Clark complied with the order. He couldn't very well tell Pete * how * he knew Chloe was not in the other limo. And even if he could, he wasn't sure he wanted to be the one, super powers or not, to tell Pete that the only other person their beloved Chloe could be riding with was Lex Luthor.  
  
  
  
~CHLOE~  
  
Chloe sat up as she heard the doorbell ring. In a swirl of giddy excitement she grabbed her purse and ran for the door. Composing herself, she opened the door, and was only mildly surprised at who greeted her.  
  
"Good afternoon, Ms. Sullivan. You look beautiful."  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Luthor. However, I believe I have instructed you to call me 'Chloe,'" she smiled and extended her hand to him.  
  
"Then you must call me 'Lex,'" he replied. He surprised her by kissing her hand, and she felt a warm blush start to creep over her body. Chloe pulled her hand away gently and turned to lock the door. She heard him gasp slightly and realized that he had just seen the back of her dress…or lack there of...  
  
  
  
~LEX~  
  
I was doing fine until she turned around.  
  
  
  
~CHLOE~  
  
Chloe turned back around suddenly, and for the first time felt self- conscious about her attire.  
  
"Is it too much?" Her brows leaped together in worry.  
  
Lex swallowed and smiled at her. "I think it's perfect." He was rewarded with a stellar smile and her hand boldly slipping into the crook of his elbow.  
  
"Shall we?" 


	11. On the way to...'Destiny.'

Disclaimer: I do not own "Smallville" or the song "Destiny" by Zero 7.  
  
Spoilers: Nicodemus  
  
Rated: G unless you are offended by the word "porn." But if you are, why in the good Lord's name are you on fanfiction.net, you cheeky thing!?  
  
A/N: Spider-man lives about 15 minutes away from my house! Sorry, I think it's pretty awesome, and I had to tell somebody!  
  
  
  
  
  
~CHLOE~  
  
Chloe surveyed the interior of the limo, and was mildly surprised to see that she and Lex were alone.  
  
"Are we picking up anyone else?"  
  
"No, the others are probably just leaving now. Does that bother you?"  
  
"No, I'm just surprised. I thought this was a bit of a car-pool event.  
  
"Well, I was trying to avoid any relationship-based conflicts, so Whitney and Lana had their own car. And, while I realize he doesn't remember it, I'm still a bit wary to be confined for three hours with a man who was waving a loaded gun in my face."  
  
"Understandable. But you could have had Pete and I ride together and ridden with Clark."  
  
"Maybe I enjoy your company." Lex leaned back in the seat and smiled at her. "Red agrees with you. You should wear it more often."  
  
"Thank you. Speaking of colors, I notice you are, once again, in full violet regalia." She smiled back at him.  
  
"It is the color of kings."  
  
"And what a kingdom you have," she joked, indicating the cornfields they were currently passing. She was suddenly silent, as she seemed to be listening to something far away. Before Lex got a chance to ask her what was wrong, she clapped her hands together and actually squealed: "Oh, I love this song!" Chloe reached over Lex's lap and turned up the volume dial on the radio. The soft, ambient tones of Zero 7's "Destiny" floated in.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
1 "I lie awake, I've gone to ground.  
  
I'm watching porn in my hotel dressing gown.  
  
Now I dream of you, but I still believe  
  
there's only enough for one in this  
  
lonely hotel suite."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Lex was acutely aware of Chloe's position: her naked back hovering scant inches above his lap. Chloe seemed unaware as a blissful smile crossed her face and she sat back in her seat. She looked at Lex, smiled, and seemed to be replaying what she had just done, as she suddenly blushed.  
  
"Sorry about that. I'm still working on the whole 'lady-like' deal."  
  
"If being 'lady-like' goes against just being 'Chloe,' I'd suggest you stop. I prefer the latter."  
  
"Well, you're the only one, nowadays."  
  
"What do you mean? Are you and Clark still fighting?"  
  
She only looked mildly surprised that he knew about their argument. "Not exactly. I mean, we made up, but I just wish I could shake this feeling that I'm out here without a leg to stand on, you know?"  
  
He smiled sympathetically, and she continued.  
  
"I mean, I've had a crush on Clark for years, so long in fact, that it was practically habit. When we fought about Lana, I felt so old and tired, like we were two old maids fighting over who ate the last can of peaches or something. It was a big wake up call for me: I'm not in love with Clark. And all this time I've been depriving myself of what could have been very fulfilling relationships because I held on to this belief. Loving Clark was safe, because he'd never return the sentiment. I didn't have to risk anything. But I'm tired of playing it safe, you know?"  
  
"I know what you mean."  
  
"I'm sorry, I must be boring you."  
  
"Not at all, sometimes you need to talk these things out to make sense of them."  
  
"Yeah. I feel better now than I have in days."  
  
"Well, you cut out a big chunk of emotional baggage that had been weighing you down. I would think you'd feel great."  
  
Chloe smiled. "You're right. You know, I'm finished talking about it. I'm going to move on and have fun."  
  
"And just what would 'having fun' entail?" He leaned back and raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Careful what you imply, A.J., a liberated gal might take you up on it."  
  
"Liberated or not, I withdraw the innuendo if she refers to me as 'A.J.'"  
  
"Xander?"  
  
"It's been tainted."  
  
"Sasha?" He drew in a sharp breath, and Chloe stopped smiling. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing…just remembering someone…someone who used to call me that," he sighed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"The journey's long and it feels so bad,  
  
I'm thinking back to the last day we had.  
  
Old moon fades into the new  
  
Soon I know I'll be back with you.  
  
I'm nearly with you…  
  
I'm nearly with you…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"A woman?"  
  
"You can tell?"  
  
"Only a woman can make a man sigh like that. Did you love her?"  
  
"Very much, but not in the way you think," he paused. "My mother used to call me 'Sasha' when I was a little boy."  
  
"I'm sorry I brought it up."  
  
"No, no, it's all right. It's just been awhile since I thought of it."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"You know, not many people know 'Sasha' is a pet name for 'Alexander.' I'm impressed."  
  
She actually snorted. "Don't be. One rainy Sunday I pulled out my parent's old baby names book and looked up all the people I knew."  
  
"Really? That's kinda lame." He grinned.  
  
She pretended to be offended. "Go ahead, try me."  
  
"I'll start easy: Chloe."  
  
"Green and blooming."  
  
"Clark."  
  
"Clergyman."  
  
"Peter."  
  
"A rock," she giggled.  
  
"Lana?"  
  
"Attractive and peaceful." She fought the urge to roll her eyes.  
  
"What about me?"  
  
"Well, 'Alexander' means 'protector of mankind,' but 'Lex' means 'a word.' So you get to choose: do or talk about it, as it were."  
  
"Despite widespread reports to the contrary, I would much rather do something."  
  
"Oh, and what do you want to do now?" The words were out of her mouth before she could think.  
  
Lex put his thumb under her chin, leaned in, and kissed her. His lips were soft, and warm, and far too wonderful to be real. He pulled away almost as soon as he had arrived, smiled at her, then gazed lazily out the window as the phone poles clicked by…  
  
It happened so fast, that Chloe would spend the next two hours hoping and praying that she had not imagined it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"When I'm weak I draw strength from you,  
  
And when you're lost I know how to change your mood,  
  
And when I'm down you breathe life over me,  
  
Even though we're miles apart we are each other's destiny." 


End file.
